Avon Waters - American Artist

Exhibition History

2025

• Chicago Pastel Painters, "10th Biennial National Juried Exhibition: Pastels Chicago 2025, juror, Pirkko Makela-Haapalinna, Highland Park Art Center, Il. 

• Pastel Society of the West Coast, "Pastel USA: 99 Voices, 39th International Open, Hillbert Museum of California Art, Orange, CA

• Pastel Society of the West Coast, “Out of Bounds,” International group exhibition, Morro Bay, CA

• Red Rock Pastel Society of Nevada, Master's Div --International Exhibition, “Yellow,” 

• Pastel Society of Maine, 25th Annual Juried National Exhibition, online

• Central Massachusetts Pastel Society, International Pastel Plus Exhibition 

 

2024

• Chicago Pastel Painters, "Strokin' 10", 10th Biennial Juried Exhibition, Tall Grass Association, Park Forest, IL

• Red Rock Pastel Society of Nevada, Master's Div -- Juried Member Exhibition, online, jurors: Tony Allen, Sergey Pietilla, Lyn Asselta

• Pastel Society of West Coast, "99 Voices in Pastel," 38th Annual International Open Exhibition, Brea Gallery, Brea, CA

• Inaugural Regional Juried Exhibition, Premiere Pastel Society of Indiana, June-August, Juror Tara Will, Jeffery Krill Gallery, Fort Wayne, IN

• Indiana Landmarks Center, Rapp Family Gallery, April-May, “Indiana Waterways: the Art of Conservation,” touring group exhibition finale. Art Auction Catalogue by Wickliff. 

• 24th Annual Open Juried Exhibition, Pastel Society of Maine, Juror Lyn Diefenback,  April-May, Maine. 

• “St. Francis University Annual Ventures in Art” St. Francis University, Fort Wayne, IN

• Artists for Climate Awareness, “Earth, Life and Our Shared Responsibility,” National Inaugural Exhibition, April, Juror Jessica T. Kovan, Bloomington, IN 

​

2023

• IAPS, (International Association of Pastel Societies), 43rd International Open Division Pastel International Exhibition,  Juror Claude Texier,  October 2023-24

• Red Rock Pastel Society of Nevada,  “Orange,” International Exhibition, Pricilla Fowler Gallery, Las Vegas, exhibition catalog available, Second Place, juror Albert Handell

• Pastel Society of the West Coast,  99 Voices in Pastel, 37th annual International Exhibition, Jurors Mary Platt, Marcia Holmes, Haggin Museum of Art, Stockton, CA , exhibition catalog available

• Ninth Biennial National Exhibition, Chicago Pastel Painters Society, Juror Anne Hevener,  Pastel Journal, Artists Magazine & Watercolor Artist , Chicago, ILL  

• 23rd Annual Open National Exhibition, Pastel Society of Maine,  Juror Tara Will, Brick Store Museum, Kennebunk, ME

• Fort Wayne Museum of Art "Indiana Waterways -- The Art of Conservation", Fort Wayne, IN

• Minnetrista Museums and Gardens, “Indiana Waterways: The Art of Conservation, Muncie, IN.

• Hoosier Salon Gallery, "Indiana Waterways -- selected works for conservation," New Harmony, IN

       

2022

• Indiana State Museum, "Indiana Waterways: The Art of Conservation, Indianapolis, IN, opening traveling group exhibition with accompanying book.

• “Asylum Painters of Peru"  plein air group show, Kokomo Art Center, Kokomo, IN

• Northern Indiana Pastel Society, Fall Exhibition, South Bend, IN

• Featured Artist, "Redwing Plein Air Festival", June, Redwing, MN

​

2021

• Northern Indiana Pastel members show, Fernwood Botanical Gardens, Niles, MI

• Midwest Museum of American Art, Historic Indiana en Plein Air, IPAPA traveling group exhibition project in cooperation with the INDNR, August-Sept., Elkhart, IN

• Richmond Museum of Art, Historic Indiana en Plein AirJune-July, Richmond, IN

• The Historic Brown County Art Gallery, Historic Indiana en Plein Air, April-May, Nashville, IN

• The Vonnegut House, Lake Maxinkuckee,  artist in residency, two public presentations and public exhibition at the cottage, March, Culver, IN

        

2020

• Fort Wayne Museum of Art, "Historic Indiana en Plien Air", IPAPA traveling group exhibition project in cooperation with the INDNR, Indianapolis, IN         

• Indiana State Museum, "Historic Indiana en Plein Air", IPAPA traveling group exhibition project in cooperation with the INDNR, Indianapolis, IN

• Northern Indiana Pastel Society exhibition, online, Buchanan Art Center, Buchanan, MI

• Hoosier Salon, "Good Ole Summertime," New Harmony, IN

          

2019 

• “The Color of Air" Heartland Artist Gallery, solo exhibition, Plymouth, IN

• Hoosier Salon, "Good Ole Summertime," New Harmony, IN

• Indiana Landmarks Center, "First Friday" exhibition, IPAPA, Indianapolis, IN

• “Open Space," Red-Tail Conservatory exhibition, Minnetrista Center, Muncie, IN

• Notre Dame Gallery, NIPS exhibition, South Bend, IN

• “Landscapes in Pastel," two person exhibition, City Hall Gallery, Warsaw, IN

• Solo Exhibition, KAA Gallery, Ricketts Center, Kokomo, IN -- August

            

2018  

• US Senator Mike Braun collection of Indiana Artist, Senate Chambers, Washington, DC

• Hoosier Salon Exhibition host, IPAPA member show, Carmel, IN

• Heartland Artist Gallery annual regional states exhibition, Plymouth, IN

• Northern Indiana Pastel Society member show, Donaldson Center for the Arts, Donaldson, IN

• Minnetrista Annual Exhibition, Muncie, IN

• Box Factory, Michiana Annual MACA exhibition, St. Joesph, Mich.

• Northern Indiana Pastel Society, "Pathways" exhibition, Fernwood, Niles Mich.

• Bismark Gallery Association 7th annual national SQ Foot, exhibition, Bismark, ND
   

2017     

• Heartland Artist Gallery annual regional states exhibition, Plymouth, IN

• Abstraction II, Group Exhibition, The Anderson Museum, Anderson, IN

• Fernwood, Woodlands,  NIPS pastel group show, Niles, Michigan

• 119th Annual Richmond Museum Exhibition, Richmond, IN

• Northern Indiana Pastel Society, annual Civic Theatre Exhibition, South Bend, IN

• Indiana Plein Air Painters Association, Annual, Greencastle, IN  

 

Older Exhibitions and Activities

2016     

• “Woodlands Preview,” Rickner’s Essen Haus, Converse, IN – January-March

• Grains and Grill, Fairmount, IN – January-December

• Host for IPAPA First Brush of Fall Converse, IN – September

• TC Steel Boyhood Home, Paintout/Exhibition/Sale, Waveland, IN –  October

2015 

• “Pre-Colombian Revisited,” Solidad, Bogota, Colombia – January

• Honeywell Center, Statewide annual juried exhibition, Wabash, IN – February

• “Destine Decay,” Essen Haus, Converse, IN, April

• 89th Annual Juried Spring exhibition, Kokomo Art Assoc., Kokomo, IN – May

• “Faceless – The 99.14 Percent,” Fortune Properties, Kokomo, IN – May

• “First Brush of Fall” Host for the Indiana Plein Art Painter Association – September 26

• IPAPA Plein Air Paint Out, Brookville, IN

• Artz and Eatz Trail, rotating exhibition in Hartford City, Converse, Fairmount, IN

2014   

• Wawasee Lake IPAPA Paint-out and exhibit, Wawasee, IN – July

• T.C. Steele Boyhood home paint-out and exhibit, Waveland, IN – June

• Arts in Bloom, South Bend, IN, paint-out and exhibition, South Bend, IN – May

• Kokomo Art Association Exhibit, Kokomo, IN – May

• New Harmony IPAPA First Brush of Spring, New Harmony, IN – April

2011  

• Paul Henry Art Gallery, Hammond, IN
   

2010  

•  Paul Henry Art Gallery, Hammond, IN
   

2009  

•  Paul Henry Art Gallery, Hammond, IN
   

2008   

• Wug Laku Gallery exhibition, Indianapolis, IN – May

• Paradise Art Festival, Wabash, IN – September

​

2007  

• Museum of Greater Lafayette,  Plein Air Paintout, Lafayette, IN

• Paradise Art Festival, Honeywell Center Clark Gallery, Wabash, IN
   

 

2000

• Indiana Wesleyan University Gallery, solo exhibition, curator Ron Mazellan, Marion, IN – January

​

1999   

• Recent Works, Richard's Art Emporium, Marion, IN – September.

• Honeywell Center, Nine County Art Show, Wabash, IN – March.

• Movements, American States Insurance, Indianapolis, IN – January

​

1998   

• Art and books, Barnes and Nobel, Indianapolis, IN – November

• Rebirth, County House Gallery, Wug Laku, curator, Indianapolis, IN – January
   

1997   

• Of People and Places, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Indianapolis, IN – January

• Indianapolis Opera Auction, Murat Temple, Indianapolis, IN – May

• Stutz Open Studio, Indianapolis, IN – May

• Six Emerging Artists, Country House Gallery, Indianapolis, IN – December
   

1996   

• Stutz Artists Open Studios, Stutz Business Center, Indianapolis, IN – May

• From Land and by air, Barnes and Noble, Indianapolis, IN

• Behind the Red Door, Galaria de Ros, Indianapolis, IN, curated by Marvin Ros

​

1995   

• The Floor Show, Stutz Business Center, Indianapolis, IN

• Damien Center Show and Sale, Hot House Gallery, Indianapolis, IN

• From the Earth and Garden, The Abbey Coffee Shop, Mass Ave, Indianapolis, IN

• Stutz Artists Open Studios, Stutz Business Center, Indianapolis, IN – May

• Indiana Emerging Artists, The contemporary Artists Gallery, Indianapolis, IN, curator Kimbra Calcaterra

​

1994

• Regional Artists, The Contemporary Artists Gallery, Indianapolis, IN., curated by Kimbra Calcaterra.

• Block's Public Displays, Blocks Building, Indianapolis, IN

• Damien Center Auction, Indianapolis, IN

• Glendale Home Decorating Show, Glendale mall, Indianapolis, IN.

• Stutz Open Studios, The 21, Stutz Business Center, Indianapolis, IN 

 
1993

• East Bay Open Studios, Oakland, CA

• The Main Street Café, Walnut Creek, CA.

​

Key Collections 

• Marian University’s Ancilla College, Moontree, permanent collection, Plymouth, IN

• The Clemens Vonnegut Jr. House, Permanent Collection, Culver, IN

• Kokomo Art Center, Permanent Collection, Kokomo, IN

• Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Div. of Archeology, Indianapolis, IN

• West Baden Springs Hotel, French Lick, IN

• US Senate office meeting Chambers, Washington DC., 2019-2022

• Charlie Creek Inn, Wabash, IN, Richard Ford Collection

• Weyerhaeuser Paper Company, Alameda, CA

• Turner Property Management, Stutz Business Center— then into Turner Woodard’s personal collection, Indianapolis, IN

• Chroma Video Display, White Mills, PA
  ​

Instructional Experience

2025

• Stop Making Good Paintings by Accident, Two-Day Workshop, June 2024, Eno Art Center, Orange County Art Association, Hillsbourgh, NC

• Taking the Mystery out of Color Theory, Artists for Climate Awareness, Bloomington, IN​

2024

• Wet Pastel Techniques Two-Day Workshop, June 2024, Eno Art Center, Orange County Art Association, Hillsbourgh, NC

​

2023

• Instructor, Wet Pastel Techniques, Two-Day Workshop, Bloomington, IN 

• Instructor, Wet Pastel Techniques, Jasper Art Center, Jasper, IN 

• Lake Counties Art Association, Introduction to Tonalism

• Fort Wayne Artist Guild, Pastel Workshop “Color Theory”

• Beginning Pastel Painting Workshop, Kokomo Art Center/Kokomo Art Association, Kokomo, IN; Four week workshop, three times per year.

• Pastel Demo, Wet Pastel Techniques, FWAG Monthly Meeting Program, Fort Wayne, IN

​

2019

• Pastel Demo, Basic Equipment and Supplies, FWAG Monthly Meeting Program, Fort Wayne, IN

​

2018

• Composition: Designing the Picture Space, NIPS South Bend Museum of Art

​

2017

• Drawing for Problem Solving and Quality Control, Fiat Chrysler of America, Kokomo, IN 2017
        

2016

• Drawing on the Streets, Adult, The Artworks Gallery, Kokomo, IN 2016
   

2015

• Drawing Instruction, Adult Basic Drawing, Artworks Gallery, Kokomo, IN

• Drawing Instruction, Adult Advanced Classes, Artworks Gallery, Kokomo, IN

• Draw like Degas, Adult, The Anderson Center for the Arts

• Paint Like Series, Spring, Summer, and Fall, The Anderson Center for the Arts

• Wine and Canvas, Jasper Johns Flag, Blackford County Arts Center, Hartford City

• Wine and Canvas, Matisse, Arts Place, Portland, IN

​

2014

• Drawing Instruction, “So You Can’t Draw a Straight Line," Adults, Kokomo, IN
   

2013

• Paint Like Series of Various Artist Styles, The Anderson Center for the Art

 

Bibliographies

• “Art and its Power to Communicate Social Change,” Museum of Art, Art League, monthly meeting, April 2024, South Bend, IN 

• “2Guys Talk Art,” podcast for artists, launched May 2024, weekly with co-host Jeffery Baumgartner and various guest artists

• “Indiana Waterways Project of Art and Science,” Peru Garden Club, May 2024

• “The Wet Pastel Artist,” with pastelist Avon Waters, launched YouTube free tutorials and events channel, February 2024 

• Indiana Waterways: The Art of Conservation, Indiana State Garden Club speaker, Wawasee, IN, Fall 2023

• “Mixing Conservation and the Arts,” Featured speaker for the Izaak Walton Leagues of America National Conventions, Omaha, NE, 2023

• “Outdoor America” Magazine, International Izaak Walton Leagues of America, Summer 2023

• “Indiana Waterways: The Art of Conservation,” p.237  Hardbound book, 2022, Library of Congress, Nominated 2023 for Indiana Author’s award. 

• “Indiana Waterways Interview Series” 3-week, 1 hour segments, Radio, Muncie, IN

• "Art of Conservation," Kokomo Tribune, Carson Gerber, front page, Aug. 11, 2021 

• "Redwing 15th Annual Plein Air Festival" results, outdoorpainting.com, Plein Air Magazine, August, 2021

• "Painting Indiana Rivers: Using Art to Highlight Conservation" guest writer for outdoorpainting.com

• "Historic Indiana en Plein Air,"  WFYI Curious Mix, Jill Ditmore, Artwork Minute 2:43

• "FWAG: Avon Waters introduces pastels, Public Access TV, February, 2020, 1:24min.

• Interview, Fusion Arts Alliance podcast, 2020

• Little Calumet River Basin, Painting Indiana Rivers, Radio talk show, WLTH, AM1370, minute 29, October 2020

• Art Professor, YouTube live critiques, Rhode Island School of Art and Design, June, 2019

• NUVO "60wrd/mn Art Critic Reviews 30 Artists", May 7, 2019

• Guest on "Patty's Page," Fort Wayne Public Access, art demonstration and interview, 2017

• “Lakefront Art Fair Opens” A1 full page image of Pines by Avon Waters, 2008

• "Converse man helps launch art careers of students," Peru Tribune, pg. 1, Sept., 15, 1999.

• "Avon Waters uses color to find peace," by Ann Hubbard, Kokomo Tribune, July 20, 1999.

• "Residents receive art show awards," Chronicle-Tribune, Marion, pg. B7, March 11, 1999.

• "Converse Artist displays work at Indianapolis," Peru Tribune, November 27, 1998.

• "Pricing", Art Calendar, Maryland, October 1996.

• "Gallery Town Meeting," Art Calendar, Maryland, February, 1996

• "Miami County artist to display work," Peru Tribune, November 2, 1995.

• "Waters schedules showing in Indy," Oak Hill Times, November 9, 1995.

• Juror, Annual Logansport Art Association Exhibition, Logansport, IN, 2016

• Juror, Artist Residency Award, Stutz artist community, Indianapolis, 1996.
   

Awards 

2025

• Honorable Mention, Pastel Society of the West Coast, “Out of Bounds,” International group exhibition, Morro Bay, CA

2024

• Honorable Mention, Artists for Climate Awareness, National Inaugural Exhibition, Bloomington, IN 

• Honorable mention, Inaugural Regional Exhibition, Jeffery Krull Gallery, Premiere Pastel Society of Indiana

• Indiana Author’s Awards Book Nomination, 2023-24, co-editor and lead artists for 237 pg. hardbound, “Indiana Waterways: The Art of Conservation.” Library of Congress 2022940218, a collection of conservation essays and art by Hoosiers

• ​

​

2023 

• 2nd place, “Summer Heat Wave” awards Judge Albert Handell, Red Rock Pastel Society of Nevada International exhibition, “Orange” Pricilla Fowler Gallery, Las Vegas NV

• “Tree Screen Shapes” awards judge Arcenio Martin Campos, Dakota Pastel Award, Ninth Biennial National Exhibition, Chicago Pastel Painters Society, Chicago, IL

• “St. Francis University Annual Ventures in Art” First place, awards judge Carol Strock-Wasson, Ventures annual, St. Francis University, Fort Wayne, IN

​

2022 

• Judges Choice award, Northern Indiana Pastel Society, South Bend, IN

• Portfolio Juried into the Pastel Society of America— associate artist

• Fort Wayne Museum of Art award, Kekionga “Taste of the Arts,” Plein Air Paint Out, Fort Wayne, IN

• Merit Award, Red Wing Plein Air Festival, Red Wing, MN

​

2021 

• Judges Choice award, Northern Indiana Pastel Society, Niles, MI

• Best Use of Pastel Medium, Red Wing Plein Air Festival, Red Wing Gallery, Redwing, MN

​

2019  

• First Place, drawing/pastel, TC Steel Fall Great American Paint out, Oct. Nashville, IN

• 2018  

• Northern Indiana Pastel Society, Judges choice, Donaldson, IN -Sept.

• Quick Draw painting competition award, First Brush of Spring, New Harmony, IN

• Northern Indiana Pastel Society, Judges choice, South Bend, IN -- March

2017  

• Third Place, spring TC Steel, Pastel, Nashville, IN

​

2014   

• Second Place, Kokomo Art Association, Kokomo, IN

​

2008   

• First Place oil painting, Paradise Art Festival, Wabash, IN

​

2007   

• First Place oil painting, Paradise Art Festival, Wabash, IN

​

1999   

• Second Place oil painting, Honeywell Center, Nine County Art Show, Wabash, IN.
   

Association Memberships

2022-present

• ​​CEO and Cofounder Art Nature Consortium, nonprofit

• Fort Wayne Museum of Art, Hamilton Circle membership

• Anderson Museum of Art

• Pastel Society of West Coast, 

• Chicago Pastel Painters

• Pastel Society of Maine

• Pastel Society of North Carolina

• Pastel Society of Central Massachusetts

• Lifetime member Indiana Plein Air Painters Association

2019-January 2021

• President, Indiana Plein Air Painters Association

​

2018

• Vice President, Indiana Plein Air Painters Association

• Lifetime Member -- Indiana Plein Air Painters Association, IPAPA Board of Directors

​

2017-Present

• Artworks Gallery, Cooperative, Board of Directors, Kokomo Art Association, Kokomo, IN 

​

2015

• The Anderson Center for the Arts

• Fort Wayne Museum of Art

• Hoosier Salon

• Richmond Museum of Art

​

1992-1990

• Stutz Artist Association, Founding Member
   

Education

• 2021 Carol King-Mertz, Pastel, New Harmony, IN

• 2020- present Carol Strock-Wasson, Ongoing Pastel Workshop

• 2018   Terrance Coffman, Abstraction Workshop

• 2018  Katherine Neuman, Pastel, Chicago, IL

• 2017   Donna Short, Private Instruction

• 2017   Mary Ann Davis, Private Instruction

• 2016   Troy Kilgore, Plein Air Workshop,

• 2015   Rebeca Pittman, Workshop, Recombinant Drawing Techniques

• 2014   Klein Artist Works, 12-Week Workshop, Career Development

• 2003   Ball State University, Muncie, IN., Master's of Arts

• 1996   Robert Huffman “Painting at the Dunes” Workshop

• 1988   Indiana University, BA

​

Gallery Representation

• 2024-Present, Gallery 02, Fort Wayne, IN

• 2020-2024, Paradigm Gallery, Fort Wayne, IN

• 2020, Year-long pop-up gallery at Jefferson Point Mall, FWAG, Fort Wayne, IN

• 2018-2020 Indiana and Friends Gallery, Wabash, IN

• 2015-2016: The Artworks Gallery, 210 N. Main St., Kokomo, Indiana

• 2008-2011 Paul Henry Art Gallery, Hammond, IN